Page 33 - 2019 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma

Soon, Clark would become a benefactor of the Ponca
City museum. In late 2016, museum manager and cura-
tor Jayne Detton made a call to the Wildlife Department. DON P. BROWN/ODWC
“I called her inquiring about helping us obtain some
deer parts. I needed the parts to put together a display
on how the American Indians of the 1800s utilized a deer
— or buffalo or any animal — without waste creating
their tools, clothing, etc. We had a few pieces, but there
were a lot of pieces missing.
“Emily was full of ideas of things she could gather or make
for us. Without Emily and her donations, our exhibits on
American Indian hide preparation and tools would not have
been possible. We are so very grateful,” Detton said.
Since that phone call, Clark has been re-creating
artifacts that the Indians would have created. In addi-
tion to buckskin in various states of processing, she A flesher that was handmade by Emily Clark.
also donated tools made of bone and other materials
gleaned from deer. They include sewing needles, hair
ornaments, arrowhead, a fish hook, various hide flesher DON P. BROWN/ODWC
or scraper tools, bowstring and sewing thread, and a
buckskin handbag.
“These items are very appropriate to this area,” Detton
said. “The goal was to re-create items and tools out of
deer and buffalo, which were the Indians’ sustenance. It’s
definitely provided us with teaching tools. Students can
visit and see that every part of the animal was used to
good advantage.”
For Clark, trying her hand at tool-making was a natural
extension of her buckskin hobby. She said her interest
in helping the museum was her way of helping educate
others about those cultures in America’s past. Deer Bone Arrow Point

DON P. BROWN/ODWC

Emily Clark demonstrates how a bone scraper would be used to removed hair from a deer hide.
MARCH/APRIL 2019 31

OutdoorOK-2019-March-April.indd 31 2/18/19 9:34 AM